


Dragonfire

by slightly_murderous_sorcerer (emerald_witch_esmeralda)



Category: Arthurian Mythology
Genre: Bisexual Disasters, Blow Jobs, First Time, M/M, Maybe Just A Hint Of Plot, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Riding, if ya squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:47:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25142608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emerald_witch_esmeralda/pseuds/slightly_murderous_sorcerer
Summary: Laws vary from land to land, government to government and even in some cases, situation to situation. But at least two laws are universal: All is fair in love and war, and if you play with fire...there’s the chance that you can get burned.Uther and Merlin’s first time.
Relationships: Merlin/Uther Pendragon
Comments: 3
Kudos: 25





	Dragonfire

**Author's Note:**

> More Uther/Merlin since I'm currently obsessed with these two at the moment! They're just so FUN...now featuring badly-written and slightly awkward porn!

_**584 AD, Aurelius Ambrosius’ Camp  
Britain** _

Merlin was never fond of war, he always thought it a messy and unpleasant, if sometimes necessary endeavor. Which is odd considering that the “young” sorcerer (young for sorcerers, anyway. By human standards he was quite old...although he didn’t really look it) had pretty much begun and spent the entirety of his political career at war.   


  
When he was a child it had actually terrified him, his mother Sister Aldan would pretend that the noises of battles were God battling Satan in a great holy war in order to defend them. She said that since they were in God’s house, they would come to no harm and those were the words that a shaking Merlin would cling to as he also clung to his equally shaking twin sister at bedtime...speaking of which, where was Ganieda now? By God, he hoped that she wasn’t anywhere near any of this.  


  
Britain was constantly at war, and so the only ones that usually survived were the ones that thrived in it. Now as much as he’d been exposed, Merlin would never say that he actually _thrived_ in war. He much rather preferred magic and deception himself, cunning over claymores any day.  


  
But being around it so long, he could at least say he’d gotten used to it to the point where it didn’t frighten him anymore. It had just become a fact of life now...he’d even gotten used to the smells of blood and medicinal herbs, of rot and death and shit and hearing the screams of men. It reminded him quite a bit of people in the far lands, people who seemed to grow like weeds in hands of extreme heat and extreme cold.  
Scorching sun and biting sands, or a total lack of sun and stinging, icy winds...but there were people there who called these inhospitable places home. They adapted, they had to in order to survive...so he supposed he could compare himself and his soldiers to them.  


  
There was one person that he knew however, one person that did absolutely seem to thrive in war. This man didn’t just get used to it, he lived for battle. Uther Pendragon was like a demon possessed if one saw him on the battlefield,charging with sword in hand and leading his brother Aurelius’ troops while the deposed king himself made battle-strategies (which Uther seldom followed).  


  
He even seemed to like the killing...who was he kidding? “Seemed” was a bad word for it, he absolutely liked the killing and Merlin was certain of this because nobody who had their enemies’ skulls decorating their tent as trophies opposed the idea of killing. He liked the killing so much that it actually worried King Aurelius, and that’s how this all started.  


  
_“You sent for me, my lord?” Merlin poked his head into the open flaps, Aurelius was bent over a great map-table moving pieces around on a blood-filled chessboard. The young king looked up at the sound of his voice and Merlin could barely suppress a gasp. He’d seen so much and lived so long that hardly anything shocked him anymore, but it was absolutely shocking how **old** Aurelius looked. How haggard, far older than his twenty-seven years. His blue-black hair was streaked with gray, as was the stubble of beard that rested on his chin from not shaving. There were so many bags under his blue eyes that the sorcerer fancied they could actually be used to hold items.  
_

_  
“Ah yes, Merlin...please come in.”  
Merlin stepped fully inside, the dim light glinting off of his chainmail and breastplate. “Sire, what’s your request?”  
“How are things going with your battle-mages?”  
_

_  
“I just got through inspecting them… unfortunately we lost Markul and Zion, Palladia was injured but the medics arrived in time to stop her from bleeding out. Damned Saxon heathens drove a spear through her, it’s a wonder she survived.”  
_

_  
“Miracle or magic?” Aurelius raised an eyebrow.  
_

_  
“These days my lord, it’s hard to make the distinction. And does it really matter now, when we need all the miracles and hope that we can muster?” Aurelius gave an amused snort at Merlin’s words, probably the first time he laughed ever since all of this. “I am sorry for your loss.”  
_

_  
“They were fine sorcerers...their loss is a loss to us all.”  
_

_  
“Indeed, indeed. Anyway old friend, I have a favor to ask of you.” The wizard couldn’t help but smile when Aurelius called him “old friend”, being one of the very few friends that Merlin had ever had. He, Prince Uther and his fellow battle-mages seemed to be the only ones in the whole camp that didn’t look at him with at least some wariness. “Ask it and I shall grant it, if it’s in my power.”  
_

_  
“I learned a long time ago that very few things are outside of the realm of **your** power, Ambrose. Anyway, it’s nothing too difficult...you won’t even need to cast a spell. I simply need you to go check on my brother and see how he’s faring.”  
_

_  
“Is there something wrong with Prince Uther?” Merlin sounded concerned, he had heard that the prince was still nursing quite a serious injury he’d acquired only a short time past.  
_

_  
“No, nothing more than is usually wrong.” Aurelius sighed, running a hand through his hair before snapping. “The bloody fool will get himself killed if he keeps this up! I understand he wants to kill Vortigern, believe me! I want nothing more than to see that usurper dead, but Uther is being insubordinate!”  
_

_  
“Sire?”  
_

_  
“Oh yes, he’s very valiant but so damned hard-headed! He hardly listens to any of my strategies and just goes off and does his own thing...kind of like you except with weapons.”  
_

_  
“With all due respect Sire, I’m a wizard. I always go off and do my own thing.”  
_

_  
“You’re like a giant cat more than a human at times...anyway, back to Uther. He needs to be more careful, and I’m entirely convinced that the only reason he survived for this long is one of three options: either he’s stupidly lucky, God is looking out for him or you’re always there to save his ass. He’s the only family I have left, and since I have no children he is also my only heir. He can’t throw his life away like this, but everything I’ve told him so far has fallen on deaf ears. Maybe you can talk some sense into him.” Those tired eyes were pleading, and Merlin was entirely unsure how to respond.  
_

_  
“Sire...if he won’t listen to his brother and liege lord, what makes you think he’ll listen to me? Why do I have a bigger chance to succeed where you failed?”  
_

_  
“He sees me as his king...but you? You, he sees as his equal. He trusts you...I’m sure he’ll listen to you. And if he doesn’t you can tell me so I can box his ears myself. Plus, you don’t fear him. You’re irreverent to the extreme, from king to bishop to lowest peasant.”  
_

_  
“I’ll do my best, Majesty but I can’t guarantee you any results.” Aurelius’ face lit up in relief. “That is all I ask.”  
_

  


  
And that’s the story of how Merlin ended up where he was now, striding toward Prince Uther’s tent with grimoire tucked under his arm and exhaustion in his steps...he was not looking forward to this conversation in the least. Uther was hard-headed, reckless, he was everything that his brother had said and Merlin had said himself many times, even to his face. One of two options were very likely to happen here, either Uther would fly into a rage or shut down with cold fury and Merlin had zero time or patience today for any strops. Finally arriving to the lavishly appointed red-and-gold tent in the center of the camp, tapping his staff onto the ground to announce his presence.  


  
“Give me a minute!” The flaps were untied and Uther stood before him, looking radiant and vibrant...basically the opposite of his brother, except for the tightly-wrapped bandages around his torso. “Merlin!” Uther beamed at him, shaking that same blue-black hair out of his face while reaching out to clap the wizard on the shoulder.   


  
“My old friend, it’s good to see you!”  
Merlin gave him a small smile in return...the prince’s shining black eyes always got a smile out of him no matter how awful he may have been feeling.  


  
“It’s good to see you as well, my lord.” Uther tossed his head back and groaned dramatically, as he was wont to do. “ _No_ , Merlin! Not “my lord”, how many times do I have to tell you? It’s Uther when we’re alone, “my lord” just sounds so stuffy! It’s like we’re back in court again!”  


  
“I’d prefer court to being out here, Uther. I like the smell of books and exotic teas much better than blood and shit.” The prince’s jovial face suddenly turned serious at Merlin’s words:  


  
“Don’t worry, Merlin. We’ve got that bastard Vortigern on the run, you’ll be able to drink weird teas and smell your books as much as you like soon enough.”  


  
“Right. Speaking of Vortigern, that’s part of the reason why I came here to talk to you.”  


  
“Why do I have the feeling that Aurelius’ hand is in this? Very well, come in.”  


  
He noted that Uther looked far smaller outside of his armor than he did in it, his shirt looked far bigger on him since it was open due to the still-healing wound. As the prince flitted around the tent, Merlin dropped his grimoire onto the table nearest him without even waiting for Uther’s permission to sit down. “Highness, I have a message from your brother. He’s concerned about..”  


  
“Let me guess, he doesn’t like the way I’m fighting.” Uther said flatly. “He thinks I’m being reckless, thinks I may be going off the rails?”  


  
“Well...yes, actually. Uther, he’s just concerned. You know how you can get during a battle, I can’t even count all the times you came so close to losing yourself. It’s as if you became a machine, a tool made only for bloodlust. Do you know how many times you almost died?!”  


  
“War has risks, Merlin. We’re all aware of that.” Merlin _hated_ how unconcerned his tone was.  


  
“Yes, but you are Aurelius’ only heir. We cannot risk the stability of the realm if you run off and get yourself killed like a dunderhead!”  


  
“Vortigern has to die for what he’s taken from…”  


  
“I’m aware of that!” the wizard finally snapped. “We’re all _fucking_ aware of that, you’re not the only one who wants him dead, you know!” Merlin gestured wildly around him. “Many people are risking and have lost their lives for you and your brother, hell I just lost two of my battle-mages this morning! The least you can do for them is act like you’re at least a little concerned!”  


  
Uther’s temper began to flare. “My brother is too cautious! His plans won’t help us win, I’m trying to secure us a victory! Isn’t that what generals are supposed to do?!”  


  
“Have you seen your brother lately?! Because I did, and the man looks fifty years old! He looks like shit Uther, and you’re not helping any!” Before Uther could open his mouth to protest, Merlin held up a hand. “Whatever you want to bitch to me, save it! I don’t have the time or the patience or the desire to deal with your whinging and stropping about, not now!” He took a deep breath, squeezing his hands into fists at his side in an attempt to calm himself.  
“We are at war, and your brother is killing himself trying to make this work. Men and women have killed themselves trying to make this work, I know that you’re risking as much as anyone else here but your recklessness may ruin all the progress we’ve made so far. If Vortigern captures or kills you, then what? He wins.”  


  
“But he won’t…”  


  
“He MIGHT! I won’t always be around to pull you out of the fire and quite frankly, I don’t want to stick around and get burned! Your luck will run out eventually, you’re not invincible! You’re human like the rest of us!”  


  
“What made you think you could talk to me in this way?” Uther snapped. “Maybe I allow you too much familiarity.”  


  
“Aurelius hoped I could get through to you, but I said I couldn’t promise him anything because I know how you are. And look at you now, you’re being stubborn and petulant. War is supposed to be fighting in the name of a cause.”  


  
“That’s what I’ve been doing! Do you think so little of me?!”  


  
“I think sometimes you fight just for the sake of sport, nowadays! You’re _losing_ yourself, and everyone is scared. We _care_ about you, Uther..Aurelius doesn’t want to lose his only brother, and I don’t want to lose one of my only friends! You have skills, but you can’t use them if you lose your life over something stupid.” Merlin reached up and placed his hand against Uther’s cheek, much to the prince’s surprise. Merlin was even more surprised when Uther leaned into the touch...eyes still resistant and defiant but at least he seemed a bit more inclined to listen. “We only want what’s best for you, you know.”  


  
“I know, but...my place is on the battlefield, I can’t help that. And I’ve got to make Vortigern pay, I may be reckless to you but that’s only because you don’t understand what that man has taken from me and my family.” Uther’s voice became ice, and a bright sheen came over his eyes.  


  
“I understand. I understand better than almost anybody, know why? Because I was right by your side when it happened. I understand.” Suddenly, Merlin stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Uther, who slumped boneless in his arms. The tightened jaw and the battle-ready expression all but disappeared, and Merlin decided in his head that he wouldn’t tell a soul the reason why the left shoulder of his robes were damp. “I was there for you then, and I’ll be there for you now.”  


  
“Thank you.” Uther sniffed, burying his face into Merlin’s neck. “Holy hell, you smell _good._ ”  


  
“Wh...what?” Merlin choked, thanking almighty God that the prince couldn’t see his cheeks color.  


  
“Like smoke and ash. And blood...you smell like _battle_.” Uther’s breath hitched on that last word and Merlin could honestly say that he had no clue how to respond to that, so he didn’t.  


  


  
Uther was seated on his bed and Merlin had set to unbuckling his armor. “Need some help?”  


  
“No, I’ve got it. I can work cosmic wonders, I won’t get defeated by straps on a bloody piece of armor.”   


  
The prince barked out a laugh. “And you say _I’m_ the prideful one.” His eyes turned to the thick grimoire that was on his table as Merlin cried out in triumph after undoing the last clasp on his breastplate. “Why do you lug around that heavy ass book with you everywhere you go?”  


  
“Why do _you_ prance around and charge into battle like you’re not injured right now?”  
Merlin tossed off his chainmail tunic before replacing his robes, his eyes pointedly went to the bandages and went to Uther’s face, his laughing eyes once he heard a chuckle. His breath caught in his throat, those damned eyes again. Those twinkling, fey eyes like pools of dark water..Merlin could drown in them. No, he wasn’t going to do this! He wasn’t going to swoon like a blushing maid or get distracted by anything, no matter how handsome a distraction it was! The wizard forced himself to tear his eyes away before Uther caught him staring, only to get caught up on the revealed expanse of gorgeous bronzed skin revealed by his shirt, sweeping up over the long lines of his throat and his sharp jaw.  


  
“Merlin?” Uther called out, but then noticed where his friend’s gaze was wandering and stared at him. Merlin looked down at his shoes, his already pink dusted cheeks flooding with color at the humiliation of being caught. He felt Uther’s gaze burning into the side of his head, but instead of disgust he heard the prince chuckling again. Forcing himself to look back up, he saw the other man shaking with laughter. A slow, sly smirk came over Uther’s face. “Like what you see?”  


  
“Of course not.” Merlin kept his tone level and his eyes on the prince, but he could hide neither his cough nor his blush. Uther’s smirk grew even wider. 

  
“No need to lie, Merlin...we’ve been friends for way too long, I can read you. Besides…” That burning gaze was _damn near devouring him_ now, like a fox eyeing a particularly fat hare. Merlin felt heat pool in his stomach. “You’re lovely...I’ve often caught myself looking at you too.”  


  
“Me?” Merlin whispered.  


  
“Of course. I mean have you _seen_ yourself? You’ve got lovely fair skin. Nordic, like the Vikings. I look like a Greek. A fetchingly handsome Greek, a Byzantine emperor...but still. You’re absolutely stunning.”  


Merlin smiled at that, Uther Pendragon was never shy when it came to complimenting himself at anything. “Your ancestors _are_ Greek, remember? You look beautiful, you glow like gold. _I_ look like a ghost.”  


  
“I like it...you’re like a living mood stone, because you turn the prettiest shade of pink when you feel _anything_. Like a blooming rose.”  


  
Merlin let out a squeak as Uther walked up behind him, pressing his back against his chest. “My prince…”  
  
“No titles, not now.” His breath was hot in Merlin’s pointed ear, ghosting his touch down Merlin’s arms. Running one of his hands back up to the wizard’s shoulder, Uther twirled a strand of fair hair in between his fingers. “So _blond_. Holy hell, it’s almost white as the rest of you...are you this blond everywhere?”  


  
_“Uther!_ My _God_ , don’t you have any _shame_?!”  


  
“Nope. You’re going all pink again. I want to see how pink you can get.” Merlin made a most delightful noise when the prince nipped at his ear, licking the shell of it. The shuddering gasp that followed sent a jolt through Uther as he slid down to kneel in front of Merlin, who was fantastically red now. “Uther!”  


  
“How many can say that they’ve had the crown prince on his knees for them?” he whispered, undoing the wizard’s belt. “Come on, you’ve taken care of me for this long...allow me to take care of you. How do you undo these damned robes?”  


  
Merlin allowed Uther to struggle with them for a moment before he stepped back. “You pull them over your head…” He did so, leaving himself in only a shirt and trousers. Uther’s eyes swept over his body approvingly.  


  
“Who knew you had all that to work with under there? Why do you hide yourself with those baggy things, they’re terribly unflattering.”  


  
“I’m a bit of a traditionalist, I guess.” Merlin smirked before returning to his previous spot. Uther remained kneeling, a blush coming into his own swarthy cheeks.  
“You ready for this level of commitment?” he asked, unlacing Merlin’s breeches.  


  
“Whatever do you mean?”  


  
“Once I’m in you, that’s it. You belong to me, and if I catch anybody touching you...man, woman or fuckin’ leprechaun. Let’s just say it’ll be the last time they touch anything ever again. Have you fucked anyone else?”  


  
“I’ve had ladies, I’ve had gents...and yes, even a few leprechauns.” The wizard admitted, both of them laughing.  


  
“There have been rumours going ‘round, you know. Around camp, you'll let the knights take turns at you if you’re bored. Sometimes even three at once, and the serving girls also aren’t safe. Grass stains on their skirts.”  


  
Merlin snorted and rolled his eyes at that, of course...because he was half-incubus and wore earrings, he had to be a whore as well. Sometimes he laughed at the absurdity of it all, but it was always fun to tease Uther. “And if that’s true?” Merlin asked slyly.  


  
Uther immediately looked up at him, something wicked and dangerous flashing across his eyes. “I’ve heard that _you_ have a different lady or gentleman in your tent every night since we’ve been on the front, Your Highness.”  


  
“I’m a royal, people throw themselves at me. It comes with the territory...well, okay. We’ve both been rather free with our favors, but if this is to happen between us then it all stops. I will personally cut off the hands of any man who dares to touch what is _mine_ , and I’ll feed those hands to my dogs.”  


  
“You’re fucking psychotic.” Merlin deadpanned.  
“And you love every bit of it.”  
“I do. God in heaven, I do. Do the same standards apply to you as well, Uther? That if we do this, then I am the only one allowed to touch you from that point forward? I mean it would be the only fair thing to do, plus...woe be to anyone who angers a wizard.”  


  
“Of course, beloved. Just as you belong to me, I’m completely and utterly yours.” Finally he got Merlin’s cock out, and a smirk came to his face as the wizard gasped and threw his head back. “My, my.” Uther was grinning ear to ear. “You really _are_ blond everywhere. Tell me how bad you want it.”  


  
Uther was stroking tortuously slow, and it annoyed Merlin to no end. “What? You want me to beg you to suck my dick?”  


  
“Yes, actually. Come on, darling.” Merlin whimpered as Uther lightly swirled his tongue around the head of his shaft. “Just tell me what you want, and I’ll be more than pleased to give it to you.”  


  
“Please!”  


  
“Please what?”  


  
“ _Please_ , my prince. I need you...give it to me, I beg you.”  


  
“Much better.” Finally the prince took him into his mouth, and Merlin let out a groan. Pale fingers tangled in Uther’s thick hair, who chuckled around him...the wizard shuddered at the vibrations.  


  
“You’re so wonderfully responsive.” he pulled off to gaze up at his new lover before Merlin gave an impatient tug at Uther’s hair. “And bold, I like that.” he winked before returning to his business. With every suck and every stroke of tongue, Merlin felt his legs threatening to give out from under him and he most likely would have collapsed to the floor had Uther’s hands not been on his hips so tightly. Gods, why was a prince, who’s used to having people service him in every way so _good_ at this?! Not that Merlin was going to complain. He was so thoroughly tempted to just spend right there into his prince’s mouth, and under a different circumstance he would have. But this...not yet. His body was limp and his mind was hazy as he grasped for the few remaining threads of self-control he had and tried to weave them together.   


  
“Dear God...Uther, wait! Please.. _.mother of_ , slow down!”  


  
The prince pulled off to look up at him with a mixture of confusion and concern. “Something wrong?”  


  
“No! No, not at all...you were lovely.” Merlin panted. “It’s just...not yet. Too...too soon. I don’t want to finish just yet, not like this.”  


  
“Then how _do_ you want to finish?”  


  
“I want to go even further with you. If we’re going to do this, I want to do it all the way. Uther Pendragon was never the type to do things half-cocked.”  


  
“Very well, my love.” A feral grin settled on Uther’s face as he rose up and backed Merlin into the table, turning him around so that he was facing backwards to him. The wizard reached out to grip the tables’ edges.  


  
“So, what now?” he asked as Uther placed light kisses to the back of his neck, hand reaching down to stroke him again.  


  
“Not here. The bed...you deserve better than to be fucked against a table, my dear.”  


  
“And if I have no qualms about it?” Merlin pushed back into Uther, earning a low grunt from the prince.  


  
“Trust me, darling. One day I’ll fuck you against every table and wall I own if that’s what you want...hell, I’ll even let you fuck _me_ sometimes if I’m feeling particularly generous. But now’s not the time for that, I want to make love to you. First times are the time for exploration, and I’ll thoroughly enjoy mapping you out and watching how pink that pretty pale skin can become. Slowly discovering which spots work you into a frenzy until you scream. I want you to unravel until you come apart and spill in my hands like a Saxon’s guts.”  


  
Merlin stilled at the comparison. “That totally didn’t almost kill my boner.”  


  
“It definitely hasn’t killed mine.” Uther pushed his hips harder into Merlin’s backside to emphasize. “Killing can be erotic, in its own way.”  


  
“Not to normal people, dearest.”  


  
“When have you and I _ever_ been normal?”  


  
“Quite. But why does this not surprise me, every time you come from the battlefield you’re covered in blood and horny. Always keen for a shag.”  


  
“How do you kn…”  


  
“The serving women tell me things. And judging by the state of their hair and clothing when they leave your tent, anybody with eyes can see what you’ve been up to with them.”  


  
“I guess I’ve never been subtle and I don’t plan on starting today. Once we’re done here, _everyone_ will know what transpired and know to _keep their hands **off**._” It came as no shock to Merlin when the prince lifted him up like he didn’t weigh anything, arms under his knees. Merlin was a good head taller than Uther (much to the Prince’s chagrin), but Uther had more of the strong, stocky warrior’s build, he’d seen him carry back his wounded comrades many a time. It was a bit awkward, but neither of them seemed to mind. Least of all Merlin when he leaned down to kiss Uther, laughing against his lips. That laughter turned into a cry of surprise when he suddenly found himself on Uther’s bed on his back, the man himself walking toward him with eyes trained like a hunter’s.  


  
“Did you just _fling_ me?!”  
“I sure as hell did, are you going to do anything about it?” Uther purred.  
“No, I don’t think I will.” Merlin flashed him a grin and grabbed hold of Uther’s shirt as soon as he was close enough, sliding it off with deliberate slowness. “We’ve got to be careful. You’re hurt.”  
“Pish, I’ll be okay.” The shirt finally off, Merlin’s hands began to slowly trace over Uther’s skin. “My God...you’re riddled with scars.” he said, tracing across a particularly long one on his chest before pressing a kiss there.  
“That’s the life of a soldier, precious. Dragons seldom defend their keep without their hides being scathed in some form. Now, let me see more of you.” He lifted Merlin’s shirt, gasping as his fingers ran across newly revealed skin. _“Fy ngolau'r lleuad._ My moonlight. God, _look_ at you.”  
“You’re golden, like the dawn. And always burning hot, all the time. Merlin traced his fingers down Uther’s stomach to prove a point, carefully avoiding the bandages. “You’re burning under my hands. So I suppose I should call you my sun.”  
“Then your sun I shall be, and I’ll shine for you all day long.”  
“As your moon will lift some of the darkness of your nights.”  
“When did you become such a poet?” Uther mused, breath hitching as Merlin was placing kisses on every bit of skin he could reach. “I have no clue, but I’ve always had a gift with words. One of my nicknames was Myrddin the Bard.”  
“You’ve got a nice singing voice then, is that right? In addition to speaking words of power?”  
“So I’ve been told.” Uther lifted Merlin’s face so that they were forced to look at one another, then brought their lips together. “Well then. Let’s see what else you can do with your mouth.”  
“Of course, your highness.”  


  


  
Merlin had zero clue when and how they’d ended up like _this_ , and so quickly...one moment they were teasing each other, the next moment Uther had him flipped onto his front again and was fucking him like his life depended on it. For a while, both of them couldn’t even speak...the only sound that came out of them were various cries while Merlin’s hands tangled in the sheets for purchase. _“For fuck’s sake!_ I thought we were meant to be taking this slo...oh, _shit!_ ”  
“Lost my patience.” Uther growled into his hair. “I need you _now_ , **fuck**!”  
That got a chuckle out of his lover. “As you’re wont to do, my dragon.” When the prince had tilted his face to kiss him, Merlin took the opportunity to flip them over so that now Uther was on his back and the wizard was the one straddling his hips...otherwise the damn fool idiot may end up overexerting himself and tearing his stitches. “Is this how the horses feel when I ride them into battle?” Uther quipped. Merlin gave an amused snort.  
“As long as you’re not fucking them, and I truly hope you’re not, then I seriously doubt it. How would you feel if I just rode you into battle one day? I'd look absolutely glorious, don't you think? Just riding in on a badass dragon of war.”  
“Sweetheart, you can ride this dragon any time.” The prince reached up to grab his lover’s hips, moving his own upward just to get some kind of friction. “Like now?” Merlin raised an eyebrow, going to kiss Uther again. “Mm, yes. Now would be an excellent time. But I do warn you, there is a burn risk.”  
“Not particularly worried about it...I can handle a little heat just fine.”  


  


  
When the wizard exited the tent with robes in place and book in hand, the only thing that appeared different about him was his now lack of armour. He still needed to report to His Majesty on how things had gone with the prince, along with a million different other things to do. _What exactly am I going to tell him? I did talk with...well, he doesn’t need to know about the rest of it._ When he closed the flaps behind him, he found himself surrounded by an assortment of knights, battle-mages and other personnel. They were all staring directly at him, expressions varying from bewilderment to amusement and even a couple of outright disgust. Was...was that a wolf-whistle?! At the head of it all was King Aurelius himself, who had the biggest shit-eating grin on his face. “What is all this?” the wizard asked, confused. “Sire, did I do something wrong? Is the prince in trouble?” Aurelius moved forward in a way that made the light glint off of his golden armour, that self-satisfied look never leaving his face. He _very_ much looked like the cat that got the canary. “Oh no, nothing’s wrong in the least. But I must confess something to you, Merlin...if I may be completely honest, I didn’t have entirely honorable motives for sending you to my brother’s tent.”  
“Sire? I don’t understand.”  
“While it’s true that you’re one of the few people that can get through his infamously dense skull, I’ve seen the way you and Uther have been looking at each other. Ever since you became friends, I’ve seen it. Our household has seen it, everyone who knows you has seen it...you’ve been dancing around each other for far too long and quite frankly, I was sick of it. But now it seems both of you finally decided to grow a pair and confess.” Merlin’s famously composed expression became more un-composed, his jaw dropped lower and lower and his face grew redder and redder as the meaning of the king’s words dawned on him. “My lord! I…”  
“Save it, little wizard!” Sir Ulfias, one of Uther’s closest friends winked at the now very flustered Merlin. “We all know, I mean the entire bloody camp heard you two! Seriously, I never knew a man’s voice could get so high!” As Ulfias laughed, Merlin was not joining in with him. In fact, the noise he made sounded very much like a deflating follis ball. _Dear God. Dear God, dear, dear God, I am going to **die!** They didn’t...we didn’t…! Dad, I’ve never asked you for a godsdamn thing in my entire life, so can the earth just open up and swallow me whole right now?!_  


  
Second to emerge was Uther, who allowed himself to appear noticeably disheveled before _everyone_ with the calmest look on his face. “Brother? What is all of this?”  
Aurelius swept over the prince with his eyes and let out an amused sigh. “Uther, you literally have _no shame_ , do you?”  
“Shame? No, don’t have it. Never did, and I probably never will.” He put his arm around Merlin and kissed his cheek, settling near him like this was just another normal day and speaking as coolly as an autumn breeze. “Saves us the trouble of announcing it ourselves, plus this means you all get the message.” Uther’s eyes addressed the crowd. “He’s mine, the dragon has laid claim to him. And if I catch any one of you trying anything, your skull will be added to my collection. Are we clear?” A chorus of hasty nods had Uther chuckling and Merlin dropping his face into his equally red hands. “Come, love...wait, you already did.”  
“UTHER, I SWEAR TO MY FATHER I’LL...YOU ARE **INCORRIGIBLE!** ”  
“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. And they’ll say absolutely nothing, they can’t. Not with the dirty things _they_ get up to behind tent flaps and tree branches. Now come on, we’d best get to the mess before we miss all the good food.” Merlin was still flushed and embarrassed, but gave a shy smile when Uther kissed the back of his hand. “Shall we go?”  
“Yes. I do believe we should.”  
Twining their fingers together, the crowd parted for the two of them as they went about their business without a care in the world.  



End file.
